Stakes-bound filly tops Te Akau treble at Riccarton

[Wandering Eyes]

Te Akau Racing celebrated five winners across three venues on Saturday, including the exciting return of stakes-bound filly The Victress (Zousain) at Riccarton Park.

Te Akau trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson posted four successes on home soil, including a treble at Riccarton Park headed by the Zousain filly, who won the open three-year-old contest named in memory of the late Kevin Hickman.

The Victress collected her maiden success as a two-year-old in January, and indicated there is plenty to come in her spring campaign with a dominant front-running victory under Wiremu Pinn, while stablemate About Last Night completed the quinella.

“It was a good ride of Wiremu’s to get a pretty soft lead and they don’t seem to be making up much ground with the rail out,” Walker said.

“It’s good that she’s now had a look down the chute at Riccarton, because next start she’ll be in the Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m).

“The Victress is just a bit stronger this year and I think she’ll really go on with it.”

The Victress was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $250,000 out of the draft of Coolmore Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and is one of two fillies raced by the Te Akau 2023 Magic Fillies’ Breeding Syndicate, with the other being multiple Group One-performer Captured By Love.

Pinn was in firing form at the Southern meeting, saluting aboard Fellini in the Group One Raceday Party 14 September Rating 75 (1800m), and Kabugee in the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Rating 65 (1400m).

Aboard Fellini (NZ) (Belardo), Pinn adopted similar tactics to his earlier success settling on-speed outside of Peecee Pussycat, and once kicking clear in the straight, the gelding was never headed and powered away from Northern visitor Cee Are El by 1 ¼ lengths.

A winner of six races, the son of Belardo had shown early promise placing in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) as a juvenile and was back in the winner’s circle for the first time since his three-year-old term, boosting his overall earnings beyond the $200,000 mark.

“It was really good to see him back in the winner’s circle today,” Walker said.

“He’s been quite a while since winning and the owners have been super patient, but he’s also been very consistent.

“He’s also got a hidden talent. He’s been schooling very well over the jumps and we think that is really helping his form.”

Kabugee (Satono Aladdin) was another front-running victor for the stable, leading the field up and holding off the late charge of Retail Therapy to collect his fourth success in 18 starts.

“I thought it was really good effort, given he was well and truly headed at the 300m and he fought back to win, so that was encouraging,” Walker said.

“We just hope he’s now got that winning feeling again, because it will give him confidence to go on with it.”

Back in the north, To Bravery Born picked up the opening juvenile race of the season at Wanganui, while class mare Quintessa was on the board swiftly as a four-year-old across the Tasman with a success in the Gr.3 Cockram Stakes (1200m).

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